<Message from Steven.>
Hello, Yamato asked me to write a short text to put in the tour report on their website. You have already found this website; please tell all your friends about this website from one of the best taiko drumming groups in the world!
I am proud to be the tour manager for the Yamato drummers of Japan. We are just starting a very long European Tour. Yamato have performed in Poland and in the Baltic (Lithuania & Latvia) already. This tour will lead us through a lot of countries and cities.
Last year I also was tour manager for the Yamato European Tour. It was an extensive tour and I have many good memories of it. Yamato performed in theaters varying in size from 400 seats up to over 2000 seats. Last week in Warsaw there were over 4000 spectators! The great thing is that the performance can also be held outside (Spain, Italy). I try to explain to you that Yamato can adapt to almost every stage and give a kick ass show. I can honestly say that I have seen hundreds of thousands faces that were captured by the drumming of Masa and the members of Yamato.
Of course there can be no tour without a good crew. You are living and working together for a long time. Sharing experiences and always give the best performance possible. The Yamato performance for me starts when I wake up and ends when we have all the equipment in our trailer again. I would like to mention our crew by name: Matchy and Kumi do light and Erik and his assistant Michelle do sound. Together with the drummers they make sure you will witness the best drumming show you have ever seen! Also, I want to say that for me this tour is not possible without the support of my family. So, Bianca and Esmee: I love you!
By the way, if you see a white trailer with Yamato written on it in red somewhere in Europe. Please, honk your horn and wave to Fred, he is our truck driver this tour.

Steven. 　March,2004

We traveled from Slovenia to Munich, Germany yesterday. It took 8 hours to come here so we spent the whole day in a bus.
W e stay at the same hotel and perform at the same venue from the last time. At the moment we arrived at the hotel, I recalled my memories from the last year. The venue is called “Circus Krone”. Yes, this is a place for the circus and while they are on tour it is used as a theater.

And we will perform here in Circus Krone for a week. Now I remembered another thing. I found a leaflet of our show in the lobby last year. I was surprised by seeing the date of out show. It said “May in 2004”. At first I thought it's wrong because we performed here in June, 2003. But I was wrong. I had wrong recognition regarding this world. When all the tickets were sold out, they started to sell the tickets for next year! So our shows this time were already settled from that time. Moreover, it is said that even the tickets for this week were also almost sold out.

This afternoon, there was a TV coverage and an interview.
Firstly we performed a song titled “AOZORA” and then Mr. Ogawa, the founder of Yamato had an interview. I think there are more press calls these days than ever.
By the way, we did the first show in Munich tonight.
The name of the venue is “Circus Krone.” I already wrote about this venue though, as the name tells, it is a circus hut and at this moment, the circus company is on tour. Meantime, various singers and groups perform here in Circus Krone. I remember there was “Rolling Stones” last year until one day before we got in. Takeru Matsushita was really happy because he is a big fan of Mick Jagger.
Unfortunately, or naturally, we couldn't meet him. However, he sucked in the air that would have left by him, and he seemed to change it into his energy, I think.
Since Circus Krone is not a normal theater, we face various difficulties and differences.
Unlike normal theaters, there is no fly bar for lights and curtains. So it began with building the trusses to hang our lights and curtains. But still, there are many things to adjust to. So we rehearsed special setting for Circus Krone over and over.
By the way, the show was great.
There were 1200 seats, all sold out long before the show day. Although there was no seat left, many people came to buy tickets for tonight and made a queue! Thank you very much!!!

On the wall of the green room in Circus Krone, you can find various autographs from various artists who performed here before and there is no more free space left. I found Yamato's one from last year. Somehow we found a space for this year but I think we won't get any space by the time we come back here again…

I remember last time when we performed in Munich. It was abnormally hot last summer in Europe and we played with being almost absent-minded with much sweating. However, this time is 1 month earlier than last year and it's very pleasant.

By the way, it's third day in Circus Krone. Every night, the tickets are sold out. In the encore, I feel my eardrums echo when the audiences whistle through their fingers. I can feel it's vibrating actually. Sounds happy.

We went to a sight seeing today.
Our Local promoter invited us for visiting Neuschwainshtein castle, which was built by Ludwig �U of Bayern Kingdom who was born in 1845 and loved fairy tales. It is said that he loved this castle best. We borrowed the audio guide in Japanese which tells us about the rooms, interiors, furniture, personality of the residents and the king's life history.

There was an interview in this morning.
There were about 10 press people at the place. And then we answered various questions. Without doubts, those press people speak German language and the interview is always held with a help of an interpreter. I thought it must be difficult to interpret when they start talking spiritual or philosophical topics. Because unless he/she comprehends what is told, it's impossible to interpret it. I admire again.
Although it's already long time since I started to join the tour outside of Japan, I still can speak only Japanese. I often regret that I should study English a little bit more, however never put an effort…all my energy flows to play drums as you know!

Again there was a press call in this morning.
And again we answered various questions for one hour and half. It was bit longer than usual press call since there are more press people than usual.
After that, we had lunch and went to the venue to practice.
What a surprise. Menou , our tour trailer's driver of last year suddenly appeared. We got excited by the unexpected reunion. He said that he came to Munich to load for the Russian Circus which was held in Munich till yesterday then to drive to London, and he suddenly found that we are also in Munich then came to see us.
He left soon since he was on duty, but it was great to meet him again.

Today we traveled from Munich to Bremen and set up in the venue in Bremen.
Last night I could sleep only 3 hours since it was the last show day in Munich and after the show, we had to pack everything, then had dinner, went back to the hotel and pack personal goods. So I have no memory in the plane from Munich to Bremen. I think I was deep in sleep. It's for sure.

By the way, do you know the story entitled “ the band of Bremen ”? This is the place where this story was born. There is the famous statue of the animals which appears in the story and many post cards of it were sold.

Tonight, we performed the first show in Bremen.
In the afternoon, there was a press call. We explained about the Japanese drums to Mrs. Rose, a famous percussionist in Bremen and we played the drums together.
Here in Bremen, our show is held in a concert hall, so naturally big echo we receive.
Actually, you can make a big sound with a drum. In the other day, a press person asked us “Isn't it hurt your ear when you play it on stage?” Since even from the audience seat, it's already loud enough. However, I'm sure if you play it, you won't feel it so loud.
It is said that a drum is used to be used as a communication tool in the ancient age when there was no telephone or internet like today. It must be heard from kilometers away. A very mysterious musical instrument it is. It is a very simple instrument which is made by penetrating a tree with stretched skin, however, it charms people so much. We also started fascinated by its charm and we still keep drumming on till present. The more we drum, the better we feel. The more we drum, the deeper we feel.
I strongly recommend you who never drummed yet to try this. You will feel fine if you feel the beat of the drums throughout your body.
That's why we feel fine today, moreover, with a sign of “SOLD OUT”, good show!
I feel so fine!!!

Here in Bremen, again we will perform for a week like in Munich. That means we can practice during the day time until 1 hour before the house open.
In this venue, we can use the stage for practice only after 1 o'clock, so we practice other instruments such as bamboo flute, Shamisen, Kokyu and Koto in the morning in the dressing rooms or corridor. Interestingly, musical instruments sound differently depends on who is playing. So we can easily find out who is practicing which instruments without seeing it. For us, it happens when somebody is playing drums. So we'll be able to communicate with each other only with drums someday, I think.

When we were walking outside, somebody suddenly gave a voice of surprise in front of a kiosk on the street. We ran to it then we found a news paper stand there.
What we found there was a paper which is covered with the picture from our show.
Although there had been many press calls, we rarely see the actual ones. We were very excited by seeing it today.
It makes us so happy whenever we found such things.
Naturally, we were in a good mode and had a great performance.
Nevertheless, I wondered why we don't feel fatigue when the show is great.

In this afternoon, there was a shooting for the tour posters of next year.
Then Takeru Matsushita jumped millions times to give the best picture.
I'm looking forward to see it from now.
Well, about the show, I felt something was different from usual.
I think the timings when the audiences gave the applauses were different from usual. They gave hand claps even when we normally do not have. This was very mysterious for us. Do you know the reason for it by any chance?

Today, we performed 2 shows, one from 3pm and the other one from 8pm.
When we finished the second show, it was already after 10 pm though, we went out to have dinner as usual. Then we felt different atmosphere from the last days. Music was flowing in loud volume and everybody had beer in the hand and walking here and there with a big smile. Was here a paradise?
Do you know why? Do you know why the whole town is so excited just like a festival?
Actually, Werder Bremen, the football team of Bremen won double titles in Germany this evening and people gathered to the central town to celebrate it. Everyone looked so happy and everyone was dancing when we looked them from a restaurant's balcony.
From Youngsters till old, everybody was holding hands, crossing their shoulders, and dance to the music coming from the streets.
And when the theme song of the team started, everybody was linked and became a large chorus! I was impressed by this very much.
People were smiling, looking up to the sky, holding their hands up to the sky, looked so happy. And it made us also happy.
Congratulations! Werder Bremen!

It was the last show here in Bremen, tonight.
The show really came alive since it was the final concert in Bremen, the audience seemed to be excited a lot. Actually, we did the second encore. When Takeru and Tetsuro came on the stage wearing a cap and a muffler of the Weder Bremen, which won the double titles in German football league last week, they raised the cheer even more with this unexpected happening.

Hi, everybody. It will be June from tomorrow!
Already 3 months has past since this tour started. It's so fast.
Here in Germany, it had been very cold last days, so we all went to shopping to buy some winter clothes. And then it became warmer after that…
By the way, today we traveled again, as usual.
From today, we will have no show for next two weeks, instead of it, we will practice whole 2 weeks borrowing a theater in WIESBADEN, Germany.